Device for preventing the creeping of rails.



D RPMfiL-LER. DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE GRBEPING OF RAILS. APPLICATION 11.31) JUNE 30,1'90'8.

9255,41,7; Patented June 1, 1909.

IZ I UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE;

HEINRICH DORPMllLLER/QF AIX-rLA-GHAPELLE, GERMAN-Y.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE dREEPING- OF RAILS.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that .T, HEINRIQH Done- ;uijnnnii, a subject'ofthe King of Prussia, residing at Air-la-(lhapelle-, No. 71 Boxgraben,in the Kingdom of Prussia, Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and.

usefuLImprovements in Devices for Preventingthe Creeping of Rails; and I do hereby declare the following to be. a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such-. as :will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use a the same.

My present invention relates to devices-for preventing the creeping of rails, and represents an nnprovementon my American Patents Nos. 716,207 andv 791,139, inasmuch as the wedge which presses the clamp against the foot of the rail is shaped to act as a wedge not only lengthwise of the rail, but also crosswise thereto, so that when the. wedge is driven home from the side of the rail'the clamp will be wedged lengthwise to the rail in such a manneiythatwhen the rail attempts to creep the clamp will be pressed in a self-acting manner more tightly stillagainst the foot of the rail. This new form of the so called wedgerclainp is particularly adaptedto serveas a reversed form of the device shown in 'my American Patent No. 716,207, since the clamp, which acts as a wedge and abuts against the sleeper, or against the means for securingthe rail to the sleeper, offers the advantage that the tightening wedge can be placed crosswise to the rail, so that the head of, the wedge lies always outside of 'the. rail and can thus be conveniently tightened and its action at any time controlled, by which means also a higher security is obtained than hitherto it has been possible to obtain. The. known wedging-devices do not showthese features,

since in some ofthem the wedge'lies beneath the rail, among others in my American Patent No. 716,207,. for which reason the wedge can-be. but diificultly driven horneand above all cannot .be controlled; and in others the tightening-up of the wedges is rendered difiicult, because they are arranged close to the-edges of the foot of the rail, as for instance. in' my American Patent No. 791,139.

Besides this. my present invention offers this adv.antage, that the lateral .gibs for the double-taperedwedge of my American Pat ent No. 716,207 can be omitted, since the double wedge shape,*-lengthwise and cross- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed June 30, 1908. Serial No. 441,139.

crosswise to the rail.

Patented June 1. 1909.

. wise, of my new securing wedge fulfils not only the mission of the wedge but also that of the gibs of this'last-named patent. The present invention also represents a consider able simplification of the known clamping devices and yet retains their selfe acting wedging capacity to the fullest extent:

The simplest application of theclamp to the foot of the rail,'without turning the latter upside down, can be accomplished by making the clamp sufliciently wide.

In the accompanyingdrawings-Figure 1 is an end-view of the device as applied to the foot of the rail. Fig 2 is aside-view of the device, wherein the wedge is shown in, section. F ig.'3 is a plan-view of the device in working position. Fig. 41 is a side-view of a modification of the device, wherein the wedge is shown in. section. Fig. 5'is an end viewof another modification of the device.

The clamp 1, made of sufficientwidth, grasps around the edges of the foot 2 of the rail 3 by means-of the four lateral lugs or claws 4 between which the wedge 5 is driven The bridge 6 which connects the four claws 1 is bent so as to form a triangular opening or 'wedgc-seat 7 between itself and the underside of the foot of the rail, as best shown in Fig. 2. The

upper face of this wedge-seat 7 is bound by the two planes 8 and 9 which slope in opposite directions upward and lengthwise to the underside of the foot rail, and also upward and crosswise-thereto, but in the same direction; The plane 8 is arranged steeper than .the plane 9 and is also'inclined toward the sleeper 10.--The wedge 5 has of course a triangular cross-section to correspond to saidtriangular opening. -The end ofthe clamp adjacent to the sleeper 10 isprovided with a'pending fiange 11, whichengages a large abutting-surface 12 on the sleeper.

Instead of a-rranging the planes 8 and 9 substantially at lright angles to the length of dera considerable angle (not shown). By

doing so the one or the other wedging-action the rail they might be'arranged thereto unthe direction of the arrow 14 all the tighter between the underside of the foot of the rail and the plane 9 and thus lock the clamp most effectively to the foot of the rail, as thereby the claws 4.- are pressed most forcibly against the topside of the foot of'the rail, and thus prevent the" creeping of the latter.

In Fig. l the clamp 15 corresponds in every respect to the clamp 1 shown in Figs. 1, 2 and. 3 with the exception that the bridge 16, which connects the lateral lugs or claws 17 ,is provided with a. wedge-seat 18 formed by the two inclined planes 19 and 20 which in this instance are symmetrically arranged to each other; The wedge 21 is of-course shaped to suit said seat. When in this in-- stance the clamp 15is secured to the foot- 22 of the rail 23 by the wedge 21 and then the rail showsian inclination to creep in the direction of the arrow 24, the pendent flange 25 will first abut against the sleeper 26.

whereupon the wedge 21 will force its way in the direction of the arrow 27 more tightly between the underside of the fobt of the rail and the plane. 20 and thus prevent the rail- 23itro1n creeping.

In the above-described devices the shape of the cl amps makes the latterbest adapted for new work, whereas the modification shown in'Fig. 5v possesses all the advantages I of the two above described devices and in addition-thereto this'val uable feature, that it can be applied to rails in use. To'this" end the clamp 28 is provided with a bridge 29 and'th'e pendent flange 30 of usual form,

but its lugs or claws differ somewhat .in shape from tliielugs or claws of the abovedescribedde'vices'inasmuch as the. lugs or claws 31 are rolled and the, lugs or. claws 32 made somewhat shorter than usual The. this arrangement 15 to draw .the-

object of p one flange 38 or thefoot of the rail 34:;under the lugs 31 until the opposite flange 35 of the foot of the rail-can be forced beneath the'lugs or claws 82, after which the lugs or claws 31 will assume their original position The wedge 36 is here likewise. driven .in crosswise to the rail. j t

'The clamps can be profitably manufac tured from angle-iron, whose broader leg is pressed-to form the seat of thewedge and whose narrow -leg serves as an abutment;

I The lateral lugs or claws can beformed by bending lateralstamped tongues upward and inward, whereby the cla'mp can be made Wide enough to be placed-uponthe foot of any rails already put down.

Instead of employing a single wedge one composed of twa or more parts might be.

employed if so desired.

1 claim 1. A device for preventing the creepingof rails comprising-a clamp for embracing the foot of a rail and provided with a seat wedge 'fill said seat; and adapted 'to be driven between the latter and the underside-of .the'

sea-s17 inclined both lengthwise and crosswise to the underside ofthefoot of said rail, and wedging-means filling said seat and adapted to be driven between the latter and the foot o't'said rail crosswise to thelatter.

2. A device for preventing the creeping of rails comprising a clamp embracing the foot of a rail and provided with abutting means and an angular seat inclining both lengthwise and crosswise to the underside of the foot of said rail, and a wedge filling said seat and adapted to be driven between the latter and the underside of the foot of said j rail crosswise to the latter.

3. A device for preventing. thecreeping of rails comprising a clampfor embracing the foot of a rail and provided with a pend-' end abutting-flange and a V-shaped' seat adjacent to the underside of the foot of said rail, and a wedge of triangular cross-sec tional shapeito fill said seat and adapted tobe driven betweenthe latter and the underside ofthe foot of said railcross'wise'to'the latter.

I 4. A device for preventing thecreeping of railsco'mprising' a" clamp for embracing "the foot of a rail by means of lateral lugs or claws and provided witha' pendentabuttingflange to abut against a stationary part .of-

the rail'wayfi and having" an angular. seat whose planes slope upward and lengthwise of said railin opposite directions and also upward and crosswise'to said Tall, and a of tr anguar cross-sectional shape. to

foot of said rail crosswiseto the latter.

' 5. A device for preventing the creeping 'ofrails "comprising a-clamp for embracing thefoot of a rail and consisting of a bridge-- l-piec'e provided with an angular-seat inclined .both lengthwise and crosswise to the under- .side of the footof said rail and extending crosswise to the latter, .of a pendent flange for abutting against astationary partof the railway,. and of a plurality of lateral lugs or claws for 'embracing the foot of said rail,

and a wedge of triangularsectional area ."and adapted to--be drlven between sald seat.

and'the underside of the .foot of said rail crosswise to and sidewise of the latter.

' (3;. In a device for preventing the creeping of rails the combination with a rail and with a stationary part ofthe railway of a clamp embracing the toot-[of said rail and consist ng of a br1dge=p1ece provided with an angular seat extending crossw se to said rail,

for abutting against said abutting-means of the railway, and lugs or stationary part claws gripping 'drivenbetnben said seat and the underside the foot of said rail; and of. triangular wedging means adapted. to be sf miis a claim}: for embracing the foot of a In testimony whereof I have signed my raii and consisting of a bridge provided name to thi specification in the PI'GHQHCG 0f 10 with an angular Wedge-seat extending crosswise wsald r2111, hooked lateral. lugs 01 011 one longitudinal edge of said bri i and Buried lateral lu s or claws on w 1 u. she -pgoslte longifudina edge of sald iaiidge.

hm subscribing witnesses.

' HEINRICH HORPMULLER.

Witnesses HENRY QUADFLIEG, ELISE KALnUscH. 

